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Many children dream of becoming police officers when they grow up, and it may seem as though those dreams will never come true for those with physical impairments. While laws usually protect the disabled from discriminatory hiring practices, law enforcement and some other careers can legally bar employment for people with certain disabilities. However, not every physical impairment is grounds for immediate disqualification from employment as a law enforcement officer.

The Law

The Americans with Disabilities Act made refusing to hire an applicant based on a disability illegal in 1990. While hiring decisions can't be based solely on disabilities, police departments can refuse to hire you because of your impairment if you're unable to perform the job with reasonable accommodations that don't cause undue hardship on the employer. Undue hardships include anything that would be reasonably considered too difficult or too expensive to implement.

The Application Process

You are not required to disclose any impairment on your application. In order to comply with the law, a law enforcement department must provide a conditional offer of employment before requiring you to undergo a medical examination. If you have a visible impairment, it is legal for potential employers to ask how you can perform the job duties, even if other applicants are not required to perform the same demonstration. If a physical fitness test is a requirement of all applicants, the hiring agency can require a doctor’s approval to complete the test.

Disqualifying Impairments

Any impairment that inhibits your ability to complete all job functions can disqualify you as a potential officer. Impairments such as paralysis, amputation that is not corrected with prosthesis and even chronic obesity can all disqualify you from employment. Mental illness as a result of a physical impairment, such as post-traumatic stress disorder after a debilitating accident, can also disqualify an applicant if the disease is uncontrolled. Blindness and deafness can also be disqualifying impairments if your vision or hearing cannot be corrected to the required level set by the agency.

Proving Ability to Perform

Law enforcement agencies may hire you despite your impairment as long as you're able to perform all of the job duties. During a medical examination, you'll have the chance to prove flexibility, strength and range of motion. Any additional tests to prove your ability to perform must correspond to a specific job function that all officers must complete. If accommodations are reasonable, you can request those accommodations to prove your ability to perform job functions.